Hopper car



Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

t 1,661,4ft

UNITED PATENT oFFlc-E.

ma EVERETTQOF ALLEivTown-imn WILLIAM r. GANTLEY, OF BETHLEHEM, PENN- SYLVANIA. f i v HOPPER can.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred formof the invention, thoughit. is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the sco e of the claims will'occur toxpersons skifled in the "an, y

In said-drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a hopper car constructed in accordance 'ivithjthis invention;v

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partl a vertical section taken on line 22of ig.1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified construction of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and i Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; V

This invention relates "t'o'hopper cars and it is an object of'this invention to provide a hopper car of greatercapacity without exceeding the permissible limits ofwidth and height than has hithertobeen possible and without adding to the length of the car. Hopper cars, as hitherto constructed, have been built to the limits of width and height and a greater capacity has been obtainable only by lowering the floor or changing its slope, unless the length of the car be increased, to which changes there are serious objections. The objections to lowering the car floor have been overcome by this invention which permits of the slope sheets at the ends of the cars being placed lower without interfering. with the wheels of the trucks and without necessitating changes "in the slope of the sheets which will interfere with the discharge of the car contents.

The hopper car, as shown in the drawing, comprises a body 1 mounted on trucks 2, the trucks being indicated diagrammatically bythe wheels 3, shown in broken lines, which are mounted upon-the axles 4. The body 1 is supported upon the trucks 2 in the usual manner by means of an underframe 6 of any suitable construction. To the underfrarne are secured the side posts 8 and end posts 10 which carry the side sheets 12 and ends 14, the side sheets 12 being tapered as usual in hopper cars and joined by end slope sheets 16 which extend below the underframe 6 and are fastened at theirupper ends to the ends 14:. The slope sheets 16, together with- 1927. serial No. new.

the ends 14:, sides 12, hopper side sheets 18 and doors 20 form end hoppers from Which the contents may be discharged in the usual manner by. opening the doors 20, thedoors of the slope sheet '16 be suflicientto cause the contents to travel thereon by 'gravity and that it be without obstructions which will impede the progress of the contents alongthe sheet. To permit ofthelow'ering of the sheet 16 and thereby increase ,the distance from the sheet 16 to the top of the car and thus increase the capacity of the car,,open-. ings 22 of greater length than the wheel diameter are formed in the slope sheets ,16 so as to permit theslope sheets to beset closer to the innerwlieels 3 olf the trucks, andat the same time to provide the necessary clearance for theniovements of the wheels. The openings 22are closed 'bywheel hoods 2 L which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are formedintegral withthe slope sheets l6by pressing the hoods in the sheets. v

} Each wheel hood 2& is formed with. an in clined substantiallyyflat upper surface 26 which extends for the greater part ofthe length of the hood and which forms an acute angle with the plane of the slope sheet andv increases in width slightly from where it merges with the slope sheet to its lower edge where it is at its greatest distance from the slope sheet and where it is overthe inner portion of the wheel 3. The lower edge of the flat upper surface 26 is joined by a curved end surface 28 to the slope sheet 16 and the sides of the upper surface 26 and end surface 28 are joined to the slope sheet 16 by the'flaring tapering sides 30, the end surface 28 being at a greater angle to the slope sheet than the flat upper surface 26.

the hood without material interference therewith.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 3 and t, the slope sheet: 16 is provided with an opening -10 for the wheel 3, the opening being closed by a wheel hood +12 which is formed of a separate pressed member having a substantially tlat upper sur face 44, which extends for the greater portion of the length of the hood, and a curved end surface it; which extends to the slope sheet 16, and along the sides of the surtaces 44 and 46 the hood formed with perpeudicular sides 48 provided with outwardly projecting flanges 50 by means of which the hood is secured to the slope sheet 16 by the rivets 5:2. In this coustriwtion. as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and the upper surface it 1112! lies an acute angle with the slope sheet 16 and extends downwardly to a point llQfitJllt'i the inner axle t where it is of greatest height above the slope sheet and from which point the curved end l6 extends to the slope slice". the curved end making a greater angle with the slope sheet than does the fiat upper surface In this construction, as in the other. the slope of the tint upper surface 4-1 is sufficient to permit the contents of the car to be moved by gravity therealong and the upper end of this surface is tapered so as to otter a minimum of resistance to the movement of the contents of the car along the slope sheet.

\Vhatis claimed is:

1. In a hopper car, an end slope sheet having a wheel hood therein, said hood being of greater length than the wheel diameter and having its greatest height; above the slope sheet: adjacent its lower end.

2. In a hopper car, an end slope sheet having a wheel hood thereon, said hood having a substantially flat upper surface extending for the greater portion of its length and forming an acute angle with the slope sheet and an end surface ccmnecting the raised end of the fiat upper surface with the slope sheet.

3. In a hopper car, an end slope sheet having a wheel hood thereon, said hood being of greater length than the wheel diameter and having a flat upper surface extending for the greater portion of its length at an angle to the slope sheet and an end surface connecting the raised end of the flat upper surface with the slope sheet.

4. In a hopper car, an end slope sheet having a wheel hood thereon, said hood having :1 flat upper surface inclined downwardly and extending at an acute angle from the slope sheet to a point beyond the inner wheel axle, and an end surface connecting said flat upper surface with the slope sheet, said end surface being of less length than the Hat upper surface and extending at: a greater angle to the slope sheet.

5. In a hopper car, an end slope sheet having a wheel hood thereon, said hood being of greater length than the wheel diameter and having a substantiallv flat upper surt'aee forming an angle with the slope sheet and extending to the point of greatest height above the slope sheet at: a point beyond the inner axle and a curved end surface connecting the raised end of the flat upper sur la c with the slope sheet.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set; our hands.

IPA EVERETT. WILLIAM I. CANTLEY.

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